The Benefits of Benefitinghttps://benefitsofbenefiting.wordpress.com
Reach out to your community.Fri, 16 Feb 2018 09:25:45 +0000enhourly1http://wordpress.com/https://s2.wp.com/i/buttonw-com.pngThe Benefits of Benefitinghttps://benefitsofbenefiting.wordpress.com
Holiday season inspires communities to give morehttps://benefitsofbenefiting.wordpress.com/2013/12/13/holiday-season-inspires-communities-to-give-more/
https://benefitsofbenefiting.wordpress.com/2013/12/13/holiday-season-inspires-communities-to-give-more/#respondFri, 13 Dec 2013 05:55:15 +0000http://benefitsofbenefiting.wordpress.com/?p=170For 10 hours a day, six days a week, Lonnie Johnson has weathered the bitter cold of the Kansas wind all for the sake of charity.

Johnson is a Salvation Army bell ringer in Lawrence, Kan. During the months of November and December, bell ringers all across the country raise money to support their local Salvation Army Church.

“Many times I’ve been on the other side of the track,” Johnson said. “And I needed somebody to help me with my medicine. [The Salvation Army] is a great organization. I can’t say enough about it. Seven years strong, here I am.”

The Salvation Army is one of many charities that help local communities year round. During the holiday season, these charities go above and beyond to help lower-income families in their areas.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there were 46.5 million people living in poverty in 2012. The official poverty rate was 12.5 percent. In Lawrence, the poverty rate was 19.5 percent in 2010.

With such high rates of poverty, low-income parents face the stresses of providing their children with gifts and food on the holidays.

“When you take families who are having difficulties throughout the entire year making ends meet and you throw in toys at Christmas time, you want to be able to provide that,” said Lieutenant Marisa McCluer, corps officer at the Salvation Army in Lawrence. “I’ve seen the financial stress and financial burden manifest physically and emotionally. It’s really hard to stay stable.”

Charities all across the country work with families experiencing poverty to try to ease the burden of buying presents for their children.

In its first year of existence in 1947, the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots program collected 5,000 toys to be distributed to children. Six decades later that number has swelled to 16.8 million toys.

“The premise by which Toys for Tots was founded was that so many children don’t ever get anything new, they always get hand-me-downs,” said Mary Jones, Toys for Tots coordinator in Lawrence. “We want to give kids hope. We feel that every child deserves a little Christmas.”

While many children ask Santa Claus for a new bicycle or doll, some children are happy to receive the gift that keeps on giving — a book.

“A lot of times people only give toys and sometimes books are one thing that don’t get donated as much,” said Paige Welch, family connections coordinator at Ballard Community Services. “This is a great educational component. Some of the books teach so much as opposed to just the picture books with maybe Buzz Lightyear that kids see more of. They get their hands on a different type of book that maybe they’re not used to seeing.”

Ballard Community Services partnered with the Toy Store, located in downtown Lawrence, for the Give a Bear a Book program. For more than a month, Toy Store customers could buy and donate a book to this program. The Toy Store then matched the donation to the Ballard Center. The books are then distributed to the children who attend Ballard’s early childhood center, which provides childcare to children of low-income families.

Along with the tradition of exchanging gifts, providing their families with a Thanksgiving or Christmas feast is high up on many parents’ priority lists.

Harvesters Community Food Network is a food bank responsible for feeding about 66,000 people a week in northern Kansas and Missouri. In December, individuals in those areas organize Holiday Fixin’s Food Drives, in which they collect food that Harvesters then delivers to any one of its 620 food banks, churches or kitchens.

“This time of year our community tends to be a little more generous and they understand the importance of having a large meal,” said Sami Paxton, a food and fun drive specialist at Harvesters. “This food drive helps provide those extra things that would normally be harder to obtain with limited resources.”

According to the National Philanthropic Trust, there were 1.08 million charitable organizations in the U.S. in 2011. Whether you donate your time or your money, charities are always a great way to usher in the holiday season.

This will be Lonnie Johnson’s last year volunteering as a Salvation Army bell ringer in Lawrence. Soon he’s moving to Johnson County.

“It’s just right down the road,” Johnson said. “There’s a lot of sentimentality here because I have so many good memories. You can’t beat the people of Lawrence and Douglas County, you just can’t.”

]]>https://benefitsofbenefiting.wordpress.com/2013/12/02/christmas-conundrums/feed/0benefitsofbenefitingMisfortune in Missourihttps://benefitsofbenefiting.wordpress.com/2013/11/25/misfortune-in-missouri/
https://benefitsofbenefiting.wordpress.com/2013/11/25/misfortune-in-missouri/#respondMon, 25 Nov 2013 07:43:47 +0000http://benefitsofbenefiting.wordpress.com/?p=162A recent study by BMO Private Bank found that wealthy Missourians will individually donate less than the national average in 2013. Despite this, the study also found that the donations are on the rise.

A Missouri man was accused of stealing donation displays that collect money for the Children’s Miracle Network. The man stole the money from places in Lee Summit, a town in western Missouri.

A woman from Lexington, Mo., a small town east of Kansas City, reported in a Letter to the Editor that members of a charity in Missouri took off the price tags of donated clothing and wore the clothes themselves. She encouraged readers to follow up on donations to avoid this situation in the future.

]]>https://benefitsofbenefiting.wordpress.com/2013/11/25/misfortune-in-missouri/feed/0benefitsofbenefitingKansas City charity, or in one case, the lack thereofhttps://benefitsofbenefiting.wordpress.com/2013/11/18/kansas-city-charity-or-in-one-case-the-lack-thereof/
https://benefitsofbenefiting.wordpress.com/2013/11/18/kansas-city-charity-or-in-one-case-the-lack-thereof/#respondMon, 18 Nov 2013 08:09:34 +0000http://benefitsofbenefiting.wordpress.com/?p=159The Kansas City Rescue Mission denied a request to help deliver Thanksgiving meals to the homeless by the Kansas City Atheist Coalition, saying that they wouldn’t be sending the right religious message to the people they help.

Despite gradually shrinking revenue, Hallmark Cards, Inc., which is headquartered in Kansas City, still manages to donate a huge amount to Kansas City charities. The Hall Family Foundation will give $38 million to the KC area by the end of this year.

A Kansas City man diagnosed with Lou Gehrig’s disease was nominated for a national honor from NASCAR for more than 30 years of volunteer work. Don Post coordinates more than 400 volunteers for KC’s March for Babies and Bikers for Babies charity events.

]]>https://benefitsofbenefiting.wordpress.com/2013/11/18/kansas-city-charity-or-in-one-case-the-lack-thereof/feed/0benefitsofbenefitingKU Dance Marathon raises $60,000 for local hospitalhttps://benefitsofbenefiting.wordpress.com/2013/11/15/ku-dance-marathon-raises-60000-for-local-hospital/
https://benefitsofbenefiting.wordpress.com/2013/11/15/ku-dance-marathon-raises-60000-for-local-hospital/#respondFri, 15 Nov 2013 16:28:07 +0000http://benefitsofbenefiting.wordpress.com/?p=145Every year, KU students organize a fundraising event for the Children’s Miracle Network. The money raised goes toward a local CMN hopsital KU Pediatrics. Students spend the entire day on their feet, raising money for the nonprofit. Since its foundation in 2008, KUDM has raised more than $200,000 for KU Pediatrics.

For more information on the Children’s Miracle Network and KU Dance Marathon, check out this infographic.

]]>https://benefitsofbenefiting.wordpress.com/2013/11/15/ku-dance-marathon-raises-60000-for-local-hospital/feed/0benefitsofbenefitingStaying fit for charityhttps://benefitsofbenefiting.wordpress.com/2013/11/11/staying-fit-for-charity/
https://benefitsofbenefiting.wordpress.com/2013/11/11/staying-fit-for-charity/#respondMon, 11 Nov 2013 16:34:57 +0000http://benefitsofbenefiting.wordpress.com/?p=143Last week, A.J. Mooney, an employee at the VA hospitals in Leavenworth and Topeka, ran the 62 miles between the two hospitals in an effort to raise money for charities. Why run a marathon when you can run an ultramarathon?

]]>https://benefitsofbenefiting.wordpress.com/2013/11/11/staying-fit-for-charity/feed/0benefitsofbenefitingChildren with chronic illnesses show off at the KUDM talent showhttps://benefitsofbenefiting.wordpress.com/2013/11/10/children-with-chronic-illnesses-show-off-at-the-kudm-talent-show/
https://benefitsofbenefiting.wordpress.com/2013/11/10/children-with-chronic-illnesses-show-off-at-the-kudm-talent-show/#respondSun, 10 Nov 2013 06:15:34 +0000http://benefitsofbenefiting.wordpress.com/?p=140At the KU Dance Marathon, participants stand on their feet all day in an effort to raise money for the Children’s Miracle Network. KU Students perform the majority of the time through dances and games to entertain and support the children. But for the talent show, the tables turn and the children take the reins.

A group of kids showcased their talents while the large crowd of KU students watched, cheered on and even joined in.

“It’s just a way for the kids to perform for us,” said Shelby Lemon, a KUDM committee member. “While all day we’re performing for them and dancing for them, now they get to have us as an audience.”

All the money raised at this event will directly benefit the children who performed in the talent show, along with many more in the Lawrence area.

“One of the kids who danced in the talent show, Brendan, has been through so much for a 7-year-old,” said Kathleen Gerber, a KUDM participant. “For one child to go through all the surgeries and rounds of chemotherapy is incredible. He’s still here, he’s still smiling.”

The children’s talents ranged from singing and dancing to martial arts.

KUDM participant Olivia sings “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.” She was accompanied by several KU students.
]]>https://benefitsofbenefiting.wordpress.com/2013/11/10/children-with-chronic-illnesses-show-off-at-the-kudm-talent-show/feed/0benefitsofbenefitingKUDM participant Olivia sings "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star." She was accompanied by several KU students.Helpful hobbieshttps://benefitsofbenefiting.wordpress.com/2013/11/04/helpful-hobbies/
https://benefitsofbenefiting.wordpress.com/2013/11/04/helpful-hobbies/#respondMon, 04 Nov 2013 16:40:44 +0000http://benefitsofbenefiting.wordpress.com/?p=131Gentlemen, start your engines. The Wichita Toy Run Rally cruised through the Delano district on Sunday, Nov. 4, showing off the bikes and toys on the riders’ backs. Each toy was donated to the Salvation Army, the Kansas Food Bank or U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots.

Take me out to the ball game, take me out with the crowd. Kansas City Kansas Community College’s baseball team offered its expertise to the Phillip Scimeca Wiffle Ball Tournament. With the team’s help, the tournament raised more than $10,000 for spinal cord injury recovery.

]]>https://benefitsofbenefiting.wordpress.com/2013/11/04/helpful-hobbies/feed/0benefitsofbenefitingUnited Way University Campaignhttps://benefitsofbenefiting.wordpress.com/2013/11/01/united-way-university-campaign/
https://benefitsofbenefiting.wordpress.com/2013/11/01/united-way-university-campaign/#respondFri, 01 Nov 2013 15:48:24 +0000http://benefitsofbenefiting.wordpress.com/?p=124The United Way of Douglas County kicked off its KU campaign on the first October, and as it draws to a close you can see the University’s progress so far.

]]>https://benefitsofbenefiting.wordpress.com/2013/11/01/united-way-university-campaign/feed/0benefitsofbenefitingUnited WayVolunteers at hospices offer patients companionshiphttps://benefitsofbenefiting.wordpress.com/2013/11/01/volunteers-at-nursing-homes-and-hospices-offer-patients-companionship/
https://benefitsofbenefiting.wordpress.com/2013/11/01/volunteers-at-nursing-homes-and-hospices-offer-patients-companionship/#respondFri, 01 Nov 2013 06:15:35 +0000http://benefitsofbenefiting.wordpress.com/?p=120Of the 1.5 million elderly people living in nursing homes in the United States, 95 percent said they have been neglected or have witnessed someone being neglected in the facility, according to a study conducted in 2000.

Today marks the beginning of National Hospice Month, when such issues come to the fore of discussions in the eldercare community’s mind. Although many of those problems can be solved by nurses or medical practitioners, volunteers are as essential as professionals to making the patient’s overall experience a positive one.

Jonell Schenk, the director of social services and volunteer coordinator at AseraCare Hospice in Lawrence, Kan., understands how volunteers benefit the patients at AseraCare.

“If we can have a patient long enough so that a volunteer-patient relationship can be formed, that’s wonderful,” Schenk said. “The patient knows that they’re loved and cared for when they take that last breath. They know that they’re not alone, they know that someone cares about them.”

Elderly people in these facilities are more likely to have age-related diseases, such as Alzheimer’s or other types of dementia. According to the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, 12.5 percent of patients who were admitted to hospices in 2011 suffered from dementia, excluding cancer as a cause for admittance.

These diseases can cause patients to be uncommunicative, whether it is with volunteers, physicians or family members. This type of behavior makes it more difficult for nursing facilities to recruit and maintain volunteers.

“Volunteers want interaction,” Schenk said. “It’s difficult if patients aren’t communicating. We don’t want to waste the time of a volunteer.”

To avoid volunteers feeling as if their time is not helpful to the patients, Schenk and AseraCare prioritize volunteer fulfillment at their facility.

Volunteers at AseraCare engage in activities that are similar to the interests they have outside of volunteering. The tasks that volunteers participate in include interaction with the patients through conversation, playing instruments like the piano and even painting nails or styling the patients’ hair.

Tori Bonner, a graduate student at the University of Kansas School of Social Welfare, interns with AseraCare as part of her practicum. Bonner offers patients counseling services, among other activities. She said she notices how patients’ experiences can be affected through volunteerism.

“A lot of these patients don’t have a lot of family involvement,” Bonner said. “There aren’t a lot of visitors or people for them to talk to. Sometimes the aides don’t have enough time to sit down and visit with them.”

The main purpose of volunteerism in nursing homes is to provide patients with personal interaction. Schenk mentioned she knew of one patient at a Kansas facility who has been admitted for 22 years and never had one visitor. A volunteer can simply sit in a chair next to the patient to provide them with companionship.

“I feel like [volunteering] greatly improves the patient’s quality of life, by actually being able to sit down with them and talk about what they enjoy,” Bonner said. “Volunteers can run errands, do some housework, but it’s great for the patients to have someone to talk to.”

Schenk said a portion of AseraCare’s staff hours must be allocated to volunteers. They aim to offer at least 5 percent to volunteers, and sometimes they reach upward of 9 to 11 percent given to volunteers.

Providing positive experiences, both medically and socially, is what well-regarded nursing home facilities such as AseraCare strive to accomplish.

There is a multitude of locations and ways to volunteer with nursing home facilities in the Lawrence area.

For example, at Douglas County Senior Services, volunteers can help with food preparation and delivery, transportation and even clerical work like data entry.